SDS Business Case Competition

First launched in 2010, the SDS Competition is an annual international business case competition developed by the Student Development Society (SDS).

Supported by the Council of Deans, SDS is a unique collaboration between six New Zealand universities and is run by representatives from Victoria, Auckland, AUT, Waikato, Canterbury and Otago. With financial and human resources from these universities, SDS provides invaluable opportunities for students.

What is the SDS Competition?

The SDS Business Case Competition brings together teams of four students from the six participating New Zealand universities. Over the course of three national competitions throughout the year, the teams compete against each other before being joined by an additional six teams from around the globe for a finals week in Queenstown.

At each of the three national competitions, teams have five hours to analyse a business case and prepare their solution for the panel of five judges. The judging panel, alongside an academic from the host university, includes four individuals from the local business community. The competition is designed to emulate a real-world scenario in which a team of consultants prepare and present a solution to a board of directors.

What are the benefits of participating in the competition?Participating in the competition in itself is a highly rewarding experience. You will build your confidence, develop team and leadership skills, hone your analytical thinking and become a polished presenter. As well as the national competitions, the finals week in Queenstown is an opportunity for you to go up against teams from around the globe to further expand your networks on a global scale and benchmark against world-class standards.